The Boiling Pot - Moriel Ministries

Moriel South Africa
had need. And day by day, continuing
steadfastly with one accord in the
temple, and breaking bread at home,
they took their food with gladness and
singleness of heart, praising God, and
having favor with all the people. And
the Lord added to them day by day
those that were saved.”
I was speaking to someone a while ago,
and they were reminiscing about a church
many years back. They said that at this
particular church the fellowship was sweet
like nothing they have experienced before
or since. In fact over the last few years, I’ve
spoken to quite a few people who have told
me the same thing. In fact I, myself, as a
youth leader in the late 70’s, early 80’s, have
memories which are so sweet; of fellowship
with the crowd I was involved with then.
So is fellowship consigned to the past?
Does it only exist in the nostalgic memories
of a few? Or is there a possibility that fellowship
can be lived and experienced among
believers today? Despite what we see so
often in our churches, despite the apparent
shallowness of some of our relationships, I
believe fellowship is a distinct possibility for
you and I, if we endeavour to do two things.
Firstly – We fellowship to the depth and
breadth which the New and Old Testaments
indicate.
Secondly – We see fellowship as what it
really is; something which needs to be constantly
worked at. I don’t know about you
but I carry baggage that hinders my fellowship;
stuff that I need to let go of if I desire
to grow in this area.
The text for today is probably the text
that most people would come up with when
thinking about New Testament fellowship
and that’s why I chose it. For here we see
a group of believers who shared everything
together in those early days straight
after Pentecost. But today I am not going
to exegete that text fully because when one
looks at the original Greek and Hebrew
texts concerning the whole area of fellowship,
we begin to see a lot deeper into what
God desires for us. For example, the word
‘fellow’ in the Hebrew has four uses.
It can just mean man or ‘ish’. ‘Isha’ is the
feminine for woman. It’s a generic term.
Another is ‘Reya’, an associate, an acquaintance.
Another is ‘Amiyth,’ which means a
comrade, a closer word than ‘Reya.’
And finally there is ‘Kawbare,’ which
literally means ‘to be knitted together’ or
intermeshed.
When we look at the Greek we get an
even more in depth look, because it suggests
what we must do or be with our fellows.
In Ephesians 2: 19 it says we must be
‘fellow citizens’ or ‘Soompolytare’. In other
words a native of the same town or faith.
David Royle
In John 11: 16 we are called ‘fellow disciples’
or ‘Soomathetes’. In other words a
co-learner under the same master.
In Ephesians 3: 6 Paul says we are ‘fellow
heirs’ in Christ, in other words we participate
in a common inheritance. ‘Soongklayronomos.’
We are also fellow members
of the body, fellow partakers of the promise.
In 1 Thessalonians 3: 2 we are called
‘fellow labourers,’ or ‘helpers.’ It’s the
same Greek word ‘Soonergos,’ a companion
in labor.
In Romans 16: 7 we are called ‘fellow
prisoners,’ ‘Soonaheekmalotos,’ a co-capture
in Christ or for Christ.
In Colossians 1: 7 we are to be found as
fellow servants, ‘Soondoulos’, co ministers
with the same Master.
Then in Philemon verse 2 the word suggests
‘fellow soldier,’ ‘Soostiateotare,’ a
companion in battle.
So when we look just at the depth in the
way scripture suggests how you and I are to
interrelate in Christ, we see that even here,
sometimes what we know as ‘church’ pales
into insignificance. But there is one more
‘fellow’ which even makes these fall short
of what I believe God really desires and
that ‘fellow’ is ‘fellow-ship.’ In the Hebrew
we have several words;
The first is, ‘Tesoometh’ or to be pledged
together. Secondly we have ‘Yad’ which
means an ‘open hand’ quite literally, and
can be used to both grasp and also smack
if necessary. Thirdly is ‘Kawbar,’ similar
to ‘Kawbare’ and it literally means to ‘be
fascinated’ by one another.
In the Greek it is just as fascinating. Firstly,
‘Soongkoynoneho,’ to share company
with someone. Secondly, ‘Metoche’ which
means ‘fellowship’, but not at a particularly
deep level. But thirdly we have that word
for fellowship, mentioned not just in Acts
2; but in many places. It is a word that lies
at the heart of all relationships – ‘Koinonia.’
Literally to have everything in common.
So let’s look at three points in this word
study, which we will cover over three sermons.
Firstly What is Koinonia? How
could it affect us? That is this session. Secondly
Who and what we have Koinonia
with and who we don’t. We will look at this
in the next session. Thirdly Obstacles to
Koinonia, which will be our final session.
Koinonia, according to Vine is “Communion,
fellowship, sharing in common, that
which the outcome of fellowship, a contribution.”
When we look, at our picture of
the early church in the book of Acts we do
indeed see all these things occurring. Five
in particular which to me stand out significantly
in our text are;
In verse 44 they were together! It is impossible
to have fellowship unless we meet
as an extended family and as Hebrews
10: 25 says “all the more as you see the day
approaching.” It upsets me terribly when
I see the amount of Christians out there,
keeping away from a local church because
of heavy shepherding churches and the
abuses of the word of faith movement and
other heresies. I understand, I sympathise,
even empathise BUT someone once said
and I agree, ‘The answer to bad church is
not no church, but good church.’ But these
believers were together.
Again in verse 44, they had all things
in common. Now let me make a point here
because this is where quite a few churches
go wrong. You see when we look at other
contemporary groups of the time, we see
some living lifestyles in a similar way to
communes. The Qumran documents show
clearly that the Essenes and the Qumran
sects lived in a similar fashion; being together
and having all things in common. In
Acts 4: 32 – 5: 11 though, it clearly shows
that the selling of possessions was voluntary,
and the fact that the Christians moved
from house to house in verse 46 shows that
the Christians were distinct from the communes
from the time. In fact what it does
mean is that to hold together and have
things together does not mean you join a
Kibbutz or a commune; what it does mean
is that even though you may own land,
things, finances, a cricket bat, lawn mower
– whatever, we can make them available
to the community of believers if there is a
need. In other words if you have 2 coats,
food, whatever you should share with who
ever has none. 600 years ago the welfare
system of society was ‘The Church’. Justine
the Apostate, enemy of the Church, said
“These followers of Christ, they not only
look after their own poor, they look after
ours as well.” When we look at some of the
Great welfare movements of all time with
people such as Shaftsbury, Muller, Barnado
etc, we see that it was always the Christian
at the forefront. We see that the Church
played a prominent role. In the UK after
the 1 st and 2 nd world wars, we see a Paternal
state taking the place of the Church. And
now as these systems become so expensive
to maintain and institutionalize, we see the
failure of the state and people untouched
and adrift in poverty. In our society, times
are economically difficult and I believe
once again the fellowship of believers must
fill the GAP as we see brothers and sisters
in terrible need, children orphaned, as we
see an HIV pandemic shattering lives and
families. We must respond in Christ’s love.
Verse 46 says they had one mind, one
accord, in the temple. Their act of worship
was an act of unity, and this overflowed into
their very houses because… It goes on to
say they broke bread from house to house,
even taking their meals together with glad-
12 Moriel Quarterly • June 2012